


people are strange when you're a stranger

by allthempickles



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Drabble, Fluff, Holding Hands, M/M, Meet-Cute, New York City, Other, Programmer!Dave, Public Transportation, Sleep, Sleepiness, Social Anxiety, Subways, Trains, Weirdness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-18
Updated: 2019-03-18
Packaged: 2019-11-23 12:45:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18152048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allthempickles/pseuds/allthempickles
Summary: Dave takes the train home from work. The commute is a little different tonight.





	people are strange when you're a stranger

It’s been a busy day. Dave spent an inordinate amount of time trying to convince his boss that no, it wasn’t going to save time to reuse old code. He had spent hours trying to explain the intricacies of the issue, why it would ultimately end up taking so much longer. Hours of his day wasted. Well, at least they pay him for wasting his time.

Really, what Dave needs is a new job. Too bad he has to focus on making enough money to keep his apartment. He sighs and stares longingly down the train tunnel, willing the lights of a train to appear. No such luck.

The platform isn’t crowded, but it’s certainly not empty. There are a few families around, tired parents standing next to strollers or holding the hands of their kids. A couple is standing in front of him. They’re standing incredibly close, noses brushing and arms around each others’ waists. Good for them, but Dave feels a little uncomfortable with them so close to him.

Some other people stand up and down the platform. A man in a suit, earbuds blasting metal loud enough for Dave to hear. A teenager who leans against one of the dirty pillars, bobbing their head along to music and reading a book. A nervous looking man with a backpack standing way down at the end of the platform, hands clasped around the straps of his bag. Dave sighs and looks down at the train tracks. He just wants to go home.

There’s a high pitched screeching noise, and Dave’s head shoots up. Sure enough, he can see headlights emerging from the dark tunnel. Finally. He listens to the offbeat rhythm of the train’s wheels against the track and winces at the noise of the brakes grinding as it rolls to a stop.

And… it’s not too crowded! Thank fuck. He may not be able to get a seat, but at least he won’t get squished. Some people get off, and he and his little asocial subway crew pile in.

He immediately spots an open seat and makes a beeline towards it, stepping over feet and around people to get to it. He pulls his backpack off and plops down. Perfect. The speakers ding, the voice instructs to “stand clear of the closing doors, please.” And then they’re off. The movement of the train car and the noise lull him. He lets himself relax.

Maybe he’ll go for a walk tonight. Or go out to a bar. Or maybe he’ll just order in and have an early night. Sleep sounds nice. There’s still some time in the day though. He’s in his head wondering about what he should do- What’s going to feel good? He doesn’t want to sink into routine- as they roll into the next station. He doesn’t pay it any heed; he has a long way to go before he has to worry about missing his stop.

The doors slide open and more people get out, pushing to get through to the doors. A few people come in. One of them walks towards Dave. There’s an open seat next to him. The person stumbles over someone’s foot, but rights themself, steadying themself on a pole. They make it to Dave and sit down next to him. As they sit down they lean their head back and let out a big, dramatic sigh. Dave does his best not to snicker.

He doesn’t want to stare. Staring is rude. So he doesn’t look straight at the person next to him, but he does take little peeks. They’re in almost all black, wearing some kind of skirt. They have a long, flowy jacket on over a dark grey t-shirt. Dave is too chicken-shit to turn and get a real look at their face, but he think they might have eyeliner on. They definitely have a beard.

Dave decides that’s enough time of being a creepy creeper, and pulls out his book. He opens it up and becomes quickly immersed.

It’s been a little bit. Dave has been absent-mindedly keeping track of the stations, and knows they’ve stopped a few times when the person next to him is suddenly… dropping their head onto his shoulder. He is startled for a moment, doesn’t dare move. Breathes and stares blankly at the book, no longer able to focus on Murakami’s words.

He turns slowly to look at them. Hey, if they have their head on his shoulder, Dave is allowed to look.

They are wearing eyeliner. Their eyes are closed and mouth slightly parted, breathing slowly. Their face is thin, verging on gaunt, but their cheeks are slightly round. Dark eyelashes and thick, strong eyebrows. There are big shadows under their eyes. No wonder they’ve fallen asleep on Dave.

Should Dave wake them up? They clearly need the sleep, but he doesn’t want them to miss their stop. He should. He should wake them up. But what if they are upset with him, or weirded out? He shouldn’t wake them up. They would probably wake up on their own. But what if they were weirded out that he didn’t wake them up? Or what if-

Dave shook his head, wishing that doing so actually helped clear his thoughts. It was a long while between their last stop and the next one. He would wait until they were almost at the next stop.

They were about to go above ground. The tracks rattle beneath them, and soon they are out in the open. It’s not yet dark out, but it’s getting there. The sun is setting earlier every day. Grey concrete and red brick buildings go by, shrouded in the gloomy dusk light. Dave hates when it’s dark by the time he gets home, but he can appreciate the view from the train. Not necessarily scenic, but he loves the graffiti, the abandoned warehouses, the houses and bodegas. It’s sweet. Comforting.

“Mmm... fuck off.” Comes a scratchy voice.

“Huh?”

The person leaning on him shifts and pushes their face further into his shoulder, grumbling. Okay. Cool. Okay.

Apparently they’re still asleep. Cool, but Dave is thinking maybe he should wake the. Not that he minds being sworn at in his sleep, but… he reaches over and taps them timidly on the shoulder.

“Hey… wake up.”

They groan, and then pull their head off of Dave’s shoulder, blinking. Their hair is mussed and eyeliner smeared, bleary-eyed from their nap. They blink at him, seemingly confused. It’s all kinds of adorable. Dave coughs nervously.

“I’m uh- I must’ve- I fell asleep.” Their voice is lovely too.

“You sure did.”

“Sorry. I’m just such a party animal, you know?”

Dave pauses, confused.

“You- you are? Or is that sarcasm?”

The other grumbles and drops their head back down, resting their forehead on Dave’s shoulder. Very tactile.

“Used to be. Look at me now. Falling asleep on a cute stranger…” they say, throwing Dave for a loop. He attempts to stutter out a reply, but they’re talking again. “Can’t say it’s not an improvement. Very nice to meet you. Very nice to meet your shoulder. Very nice to meet a kind stranger who lets me sleep on them. My name’s Klaus.”

They up their hand. Dave registers the “Hello” tattoo at the same time that he is reaching out and high-fiving them. Oops. They giggle, but interlace their fingers with Dave’s.

“This is acceptable” they say. There’s a long pause in which Dave doesn’t speak. “If you’re okay with it?”

“Yeah. Yes. That’s okay.” Dave stutters out.

This night has become very strange.

**Author's Note:**

> dave is reading After Dark by Murakami bc,,, i can't resist putting books i like into my fanfics.
> 
> this fic was extremely self indulgent! haha as if my others aren’t


End file.
